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Post by aircraftclocks on Nov 23, 2020 10:45:57 GMT 12
Struck - 22 July 1944.
Target: Targets of Opportunity, Bougainville.
Mission: Able-Charlie Search.
Flight-Leader: Able - F/Lt Bayley, RNZAF.
Charlie - P/O Stephenson, RNZAF.
Squadron: NZTB-31 - 4 a/c ordered.
A/c & Loading: 4 a/c - each loaded with 4 x 500 lb. bombs, 1/100th second delay fuzing.
Times: Able - T.O. 0800; Landed 0945.
Charlie - .. 0800; .. 0955.
Enemy A/C: Nil.
Damage to Own A/C: Nil.
Personnel Casualties: Nil.
Other A/C Co-Ordinating: Nil.
Tactics: 2 a/c North, & 2 a/c South, on a combined searching, strafing & bombing mission.
Summary of Results & Observations:
Able - 3 x 500s destroyed a hut and blew in a cave mouth at Cape Kori, Buka. 3 x 500s were dropped on 4 huts near Hanahan Bay. Unobserved. 2 x 500s on 3-4 huts under trees at Lemankoa. Results unobserved. Camp fires at Cape Lemankoa were strafed, & also the coastline all around Buka.
Charlie - 3 x 500s were near misses on bridges at Toborei Plntation, Roboine Bay & Taki. 1 x 500 damaged a bridge over a stream near Toberi Plantation. 1 x 500 was released near huts in a large garden at Tonu. 3 x 500s did not explode. The East Coast from Kieta to Cape Friendship was strafed, also Monoitu Mission.
Weather: Able & Charlie: Clear.
A/C No. Pilot Crew
Able -
N.Z. 547 Bayley Metcalfe, Dornbusch
. . 517 Lamason Pederson, Whitmarsh
Charlie -
N.Z. 523 Stephenson Weir, Walker J.
. . 545 Kissel Scott KR, Bower
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Post by aircraftclocks on Nov 23, 2020 10:52:27 GMT 12
Struck - 23 July 1944.
TARGET: Rorovana Japanese Bivouac Area, East Bougainville.
MISSION: Bomb and Strafe.
FLIGHT-LEADER S/Ldr M. Wilkes, RNZAF.
SQUADRON: NZTB-31 - 12 a/c.
A/C & LOADING: (actually attacking) 12 a/c - 7 loaded with 4 x 500 lb. G.P. 1/100 & 5 loaded with 4 x 500 M.1 (50-1-A1) Mag. Clusters.
TIMES: T.O. 0835; T.O.T. 0905; Landed 0940.
OTHER A/C CO-ORDINATING: Nil.
ENEMY A/C: Nil.
DAMAGE TO OWN A/C: Nil.
PERSONNEL CASUALTIES: Nil.
TACTICS: The formation approached from the N.W. at 10,000', turned left when South of the Target, & pushed over to the left at 7000', releasing over the Target at 2000'/2500'. Retirement was made out into Rorovana Bay.
SUMMARY OF RESULTS: Of the 48 x 500 lb. bombs carried, 47 were hits in area & 1 was returned to base. Strafing was carried out in the Target Area and along the shore off Rorovana Bay. Cape Puipui was also strafed.
WEATHER: En route - 7/10th Scattered Cumulus, base 4000'. Over target - Clear & visibility unlimited.
OBSERVATIONS:
1. Anti-Aircraft Fire: Nil.
2. Enemy Shipping: Nil.
3. Enemy Activity: Nil.
4. Condition of Target after Attack: All bombs except one, which was returned to base, landed directly in the Target Area, starting several large fires. One column of white smoke was observed going up to 1500'/2000'. An umbrella of smoke obscured the target area during retirement.
5. Miscellaneous Reports: 1 a/c made an observation flight over Moroni Village which was bombed yesterday, & reported several large bomb craters in the centre of the village and many huts appeared to be flattened and burned out. When the Squadron reached Torokina after this, their final Strike of Tour No. 1, they flew in excellent tight formation over Torokina and Piva North fields.
A/C No. Pilot Crew
N.Z. 513 S/Ldr Wilkes F/Lt McIvor Lt Loftus
. . 522 F/O Lamason F/Sgt Pederson F/Sgt Whitmarsh
. . 514 F/Sgt Le Lievre F/Sgt Lockie F/Sgt Alcock
. . 525 F/Lt Hannah P/O Cameron F/Sgt Arneson
. . 509 F/Lt Bayley P/O Metcalfe F/Sgt Dornbusch
. . 511 P/O Stephenson F/Sgt Weir F/Sgt Walker J
. . 542 F/Lt Adams Sgt Davies F/Sgt Scott SC
. . 529 F/O Willcox F/Sgt Stevenson F/Sgt Claris
. . 510 F/Sgt Jackson Sgt Nixon F/Sgt Walker EC
. . 540 F/O Worsp F/O Goss F/Sgt Williams
. . 520 F/O Smart P/O Logan F/Sgt Dixon
. . 526 F/Sgt Kissel F/Sgt Scott KR F/Sgt Bower
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Post by aircraftclocks on Nov 23, 2020 11:03:46 GMT 12
Struck - 22 July 1944.
Target: Rumba Mission Village Area, Bougainville.
Mission: Bomb and Strafe.
Flight-Leader: S/Ldr M. Wilkes, RNZAF.
SQUADRON: NZTB-31 - 10 a/c ordered.
A/C & Loading: (actually attacking) 10 a/c, 5 loaded with 4 x 500 lb. G.P. 1/100 sec, 5 loaded with 4 x 500 M.1 (50-1-A1) Mag. Clusters.
Time: T.O. 0855; T.O.T. 0920; Landed 0955.
Other A/C Co-ordinating: Nil.
Enemy A/C: Nil. Damage to Own A/C: Nil.
Personnel Casualties: Nil.
Tactics: The Formation went in over the ridge South of the Target Area and came in on to the Target along the Ridge from the S.E., releasing at 1000'/1500' above the trees.
Summary of Results: Of the 40 x 500 lb. bombs carried; 38 were hits in the area. 1 was Jettisoned on a hut near the mouth of the Bovo River, and 1 was Returned to Base. Strafing was carried out in the area and on the shoreline near the mouth of the Bovo River against huts, camp fires etc.
Weather: En route & Over target - Clear and visibility unlimited.
Observations:
1. Anti-Aircraft Fires: Light M/G from the point East of Tuauru Mission. Flashes from the ground but no tracer were observed.
2. Enemy Shipping: Nil.
3. Enemy Activity: Blueish camp fire smoke from huts on the shore of Arawa Bay near the mouth of the Bovo River.
4. Condition of Target after Attack: Both villages were burning fiercely & were obliterated by smoke & dust. The whole Target Area was well plastered by accurate bombing with G.P.s and Incendiaries, & white smoke going up to 800'/1000' could be seen from several miles away during retirement. The 500 lb.er Jettisoned on a hut at the Bovo river mouth started a fire.
A/C No. Pilot Crew
N.Z. 513 Wilkes McIvor, Loftus
. . 529 Willcox Stevenson, Claris
. . 509 Rollo Walker MJ, Powell
. . 511 Hannah Cameron, Arneson
. . 514 Halford Waters, Blaikie
. . 510 Jackson Smith, Walker EC
. . 542 Adams Davies, Scott
. . 540 Worsp Goss, Williams
. . 520 Smart Logan, Dixon
? McGechie Henderson, Dunwoody
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Post by chinapilot on Dec 16, 2020 23:59:36 GMT 12
Hi Dave - suggest this goes into the Activity thread?
Cheers
Ian
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